First off, Wyeast says "The Wyeast Activator (125 ml) smack-pack is designed to directly inoculate 5 gallons of standard ale wort (O.G. < 1.060, 65-72°F)". But if you look at the tech info on their website, you'll see the numbers don't quite work out. They claim 100 Billion cells in a smack pack. Their tech info says that, for something less than 1.060, you should pitch 6.0 million cells/ml. Even with exactly 5.0 gallons (most times it's closer 5.5 or 6.0), that comes out to 114 billion cells and there's only 100 billion in the smack pack. That also assumes 100% viability in the smack pack which is about impossible so you're actually getting less than 100 billion.

This thread started about an "over 6% IPA" which most likely puts it into the "greater than or equal to 1.060". For that, Wyeast says you need 12.0 million cells/ml. That comes out to 228 billion - a smack pack doesn't even come close.

And to really open your eyes, go to mrmalty.com and check out that pitch rate calculator. It's pitching rates are more realistic (rather than Wyeast's that are more of a sales pitch to make you think a smack pack is "pitchable") and you'll see that 5.0 gallons of 1.060 wort should have 208 billion cells (not Wyeast's 114). Again a smack pack isn't even close.

The nutrients in the smack pack aren't intended to make it into a "starter". They're there so that, when you smack the pack, the yeast have something to feed on to make the pack swell. That feeding/swelling only proves that there's live yeast in there - it really doesn't accomplish anything in the way of cell count growth.

nearly every book has a good starter process. but fundamentally you can use some dme and make a weak wort. put it in an erlynmeyer, glass milk jug, mason jar... and add yeast. stir a lot or put on a stir plate. kind of like making a small batch of beer. i tend to save some of the last runoff at low sg. freeze, then when i want to use it i boil it again, add leftover yeast and so on.

Thanks - Ill be brewing better beers in no time! Do you still smack the pack and add the entire contents to the starter or just the yeast without the added nutrients?

I usually smack the pack, wait for it to swell, and use the whole thing in the starter. But that's not really necessary. I've also just cut the pack open and pitched the yeast without waiting for it to swell. Keep in mind that the yeast is in the main pack, and the small bag inside is the nutrient.